Adjustable scythe blade fastening



Sept. 13, 1932. Q, D, BRXNSER 1,877,549

ADJUSTABLE SCYTHE BLADE FASTENING' FledJan. l5. 1932 Patented Sept. 13, 1932 osuna n. BnINsnn, or RICHMOND, VIRGINIA Y ADJUSTABLE sonne BLADE IAs'rENING Application filed January 15, 1932. Serial No. 586,896.

This invention relates to fastening means for securing a scythe blade tothe handle or snath, as it is commonly called, and it .is particularly designed to include adjusting 5 means which will permit varyingthe position of the plane of the blade with respect to the handle so as to accomodate the tool to different users. It consists of certain features and elements of construction in combination as herein shown and described, and

as indicated by the claims.

In the drawing: j

Figure 1 is a side view of the end portion of a snath inverted as compared with the position of use, and showing blade fastenmg means thereon embodying this invention', Y

Figure 2 is taken as a detail sectionat line :2 2 on Figure 1. j .j

Figure 3 is an end view takenv as indicated f.; at line 3-3 on Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a detail perspective view of the adjusting wedge.

Figure 5 is a face view of the end of the snath and a fragment of the scythe blade V5:5 showing the tang of the blade secured by the clamping ring to the snath.

Figure 6 is a side elevationofa modified form of wedge member. Y g f The drawing shows simply the end portion ce of the wooden handle or snath, 1, and a part of the scythe blade, 2, including the tang, 3, which is secured to the handle, 1, by the fastening embodying this invention. The fastening includes a ferrule portion, 4, en-

circling the eXtreme endV ofthesnath, 1, and

having preferably integral with it agrooved plate, 5, overlying a flattened portion, 6, of the snath, and a toothed plate, 7 which overlies an opposite flattened portion', 8, ofthe snath. A heel plate, 9, against which the tang, 3, is secured, is formedwithpears or lugs, 10, by which it `is pivotally engaged with trunnions,'11, projecting from the ferrule, 4. The' plate, 9, isthus adapted to swing toward and from.the' plate,f7, atits end remote from the pivots, 11, so as to vary its angular relation to the snath, 1.

The plate, 9, includes an upstand-ing integral lug, 12, for engagement with the heel portion, 13, of the tang, 3, in the usual manner, and a clamping ring, 14, encircles the entire fixture, including the tang, 3. The ring, 14, is preferably formed with a flat portion, 15, which engages the outer face of the tang, 3, and at the opposite side the ring A isprovided with a threaded boss, 16, carry` ing a set screw, 17, which impinges upon the plate, 5, in the longitudinal groove, 5a, thereof for producing a clamping pressure of the fiat side, 15, ofthe ring against the tang, 3. v In addition to the heel-engaging lug, 12, the plate, 9, has the usual 'plurality `of square apertures, 18, to receive the down-turned lug, 3a, at the end of the tang, 3, so that shifting this lug from one to another of the aper- UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE tures, 18, changes the angular relation ofthe edge of the blade to the snath, 1.

In'm'ost, if not all, previous constructions,

the plane of the Scythe blade with respect to the snath has been fixed. This mightl give the correct working angle fora man of a given height, or with a given reach, but would not be right for a shorter man or a taller man, or for one having.A longer arms. Where the same person was to use the scytlie continuously, this has often been corrected by twistingV the blade .at the portion where the cutting edge joins the tang, 3.- Of course, this adjustment could not be changed many times without injury tothe blade; further-- more, it is frequently desirable tovary the l' angle of the blade with respect to the snath. dependingupon whether' the class of work permits a long sweeping stroke or demands la short hacking stroke. To remedy this situation I' provide an adjustable wedge. 20,"

which is preferably formed with teeth on one surface to engage the teeth of the plate, r7, and whose opposite face is disposed against the plate, 9. lThis wedge, 2,0, maybe shifted i,

along the plate, 7, to vary the angle of inclination of the plate, 9, with respect to the snath, l, and since the tang, 3, of the scythe blade is held firmly against the outer face of the plate, 9, by the clamping ring, the scythe blade is thus swung laterally in response to any change of angle of the plate, 9. Thus the plane of the blade day be shifted as desired with respect to the snath to accommodate different users and different classes of work.

which practically eliminates the possibility'- of splitting the wood, either in assembly or in use of the tool.

Preferably, for lightening the construction, the wedge member, 20, has the metal eliminated from its midde portion, leaving the piece of square-cornered U-shape, as seen in Figure 4; and for the same reason the vmiddle portion of the plate, 7, may be omitted, 'So that the toothed area is in the form of two lateral rows of teeth registering with the toothed arms of the U-shaped wedge, 20.

Incidentally, it may be noted that since the adjustability of the heel plate, 9, about its pivots, 1l, results inV a change of angle between the heel plate and the toothed plate, 7, a straight-sided wedge of fixed angle, as shown in Figure 4, will fit perfectly between the two plates at only one position of adjustment; Figure 1 indicates that-'this wedge fits only approximately at other points in its range of movement. Therefore, as an alternative, I may prefer to form the wedge member as shown in Figure 6 at 20a, with an upwardly convex portion, 20?, designed for contact with the under surface of t-he hinged heel plate, 9. The corrugations or teeth of the member, 20a, will serve the same function as in the form shown in Figure 4, namely, to interlock with the teethof the plate, 7 and prevent slipping of the wedge member.

I claim: y

l. In combination with a snath, a scythe blade fastening comprising a heel plate and a ring lencircling the snath and said plate for securing the tang of the blade by clamping engagement with the tang interposed between said ring and the plate, said ring being provided with a set screw adjustable toward and from the snath at the side opposite said heel plate, said plate being hinged to the snath at an axis transverse to Ythat of the end portion of the snath, and adjusting means Vfor varying the angular relation, of said hinged plate to the snath. l 2. In combination withV a snath, ak scythe blade fastening comprising a pair of plates the snath, adj ustin secured to opposite sides of the end portion of the snath, a ring adapted to encircle said portion with the tang of the blade interposed between t-he ring and one of the plates, a set screw in the ring disposed to impinge against t-he other plate to secure clamping engagement of the ring with the tang, the plate which engages the tang being hinged to the snath adjacent the extreme end thereof with the opposite end of said plate free to swing toward and from the snath, and adjusting means for variably fixing the angular rela.- tion of said plate to the snath.y

V3. In combination with a snath, a scythe blade fastening comprising a ferrule tightly vencircling the end of the snath with two Vplates extendingy therefrom along opposite sides of the snath, a clamping ring dimensioned to encompass said plates, and a tang of the blade, said ring havingaset screw positioned to impinge against one of the plates at the side of the ring opposite that which engages t-he tang, the other plate having a corrugated outer surface andthe third plate hinged to said other plate at one end with its opposite end free to swing toward and from said plate, and a wedge corrugated on one side for `engagement with the corrugations ofthe said plate and adjustable between said plateV and the third plate for varying the angular relation of the .hinged plate to the other, and thus varying the angular relation of the tang and blade to the snath.

4. In combination with a snath, a scythe blade fastening comprising a heel plate hinged to the snath adjacent the extreme end thereof for angular adjustment in respect to the snath, adjusting means for determining the angular relation` ofj said plate to the snath, and fastening means which simultaneously secures the tank of the scythe blade to the plate and fixes said plate at the adjusted angle.

5. 'In combination with a snath, avscythe blade fastening comprising a heel plate hinged to the snath adjacent the extreme end thereof for angular adjustment in respect to means interposed between said plate an the snath and movable longitudinally for varying the angular relation of said parts, togetherwith a scythe blade disposed 'with its tang against the outer face of said hingedv plate, and clamping means embracing said snath andthe tang and plate with the adjusting means interposed, whereby the tightening` ofy said clamping means bindsall of said partsin adjusted relation.` ,Y .i c 4 i 6. In combination with a snath, a scythe blade fastening Vcomprising a' heel plate hinged to the snathadjacent the extreme endthereof for angular adjustment inrespect to the-snvath,`]va wedge.. having a corrugated surface interposed between said plate and the gil snath and adjustable longitudinally for varying the angle between them, one of said parts having corrugations to interlock with those of the Wedge, a Scythe blade disposed With its tang against the outer surface of the plate, and a clamping ring encircling the snath and tang with the heel plate and wedge interposed, whereby the clamping action of said ring simultaneously binds al1 said parts in their adjusted relation.

OSCAR D. BRINSER. 

